The exemption applies to group tourists from Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. The US$15 visa application fee exemption was originally due to expire at the end of June but has now been extended through the end of the year.

The Korea Herald quoted the ministry as saying that demand for group tourist visas has been rising, particularly from China and Southeast Asia. Data from the ministry showed that more than 790,000 travellers entered RoK on group tourist visas in 2025, up 39% year-on-year. Group tourists from China increased by 48% during the same period, while those from Vietnam rose by 5%.

Meanwhile, group tourists from India saw the largest percentage increase, more than doubling from 573 in 2024 to 1,120 in 2025.

The ministry noted that the share of group tourists who left their designated tours and became undocumented residents fell to 0.07% in 2025, less than half the 0.19% recorded a year earlier, suggesting the program has been managed stably.

According to the Justice Ministry, the visa fee waiver, along with improved diplomatic ties and the spread of Korean culture, has helped attract more group travellers. The extension is expected to ease financial burdens for foreign group tourists while supporting the recovery of the tourism sector and local economies.